The legislation would require most Americans to carry insurance and provide federal subsidies to those who otherwise could not afford it. Large companies would have to offer coverage to their employees. Both consumers and companies would be slapped with penalties if they defied the government’s mandates.

Insurance industry practices such as denying coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions would be banned, and insurers would no longer be able to charge higher premiums on the basis of gender or medical history. In a further slap, the industry would lose its exemption from federal antitrust restrictions on price fixing and market allocation.

So it seems that concerns about Swine Flu has breached the Atlantic.When I looked on Sunday, there was a reported case in the South-West region, near Bordeaux, but nothing confirmed nearby. But it seems like that could be changing.

Yesterday, a lady in my office came back from a canceled appointment with her Dr. As it turns out, her Dr was under quarantine for possible infection. Earlier that week, a patient had come into the office that had previously been traveling in Mexico on Vacation. He was feeling under the weather, so he did his due diligence by getting checked out. His Dr did her work, and called it into the larger medical body in France (whatever the French CDC would be) resulting in both Dr and Patient being put in quarantine for 15 days!

There’s still no word on whether either of these people (or that person in Bordeaux) actually have anything wrong with them, but it’s interesting to note how seriously it’s being taken here.